Arcanum Hominem (#1)

Chapter 62

"Aren't you going to ask me who that is? What he wants?" Chase asked me when I didn't say anything, a confused look on his face. I shook my head, lazily looking over his shoulder. From the corner of my eye, I saw his brows dip and the smile disappear from his face. "Look at me, Scarlett." I didn't look at him. He moved into my line of sight, forcing me to look at him. I finally looked him in the eyes, making sure a bored look was on my face. "Ask. Me." His voice deepened as he glared at me.

I sighed, shifting in my seat to try to get comfortable. "Who is he, and what does he want, Chase?" I asked the questions he wanted to hear, and that put a smile on his face.

"He is Archer Cutler, leader of The Iudices. Killian has been unsuccessful with his search for him, but Archer wants to get to him first and kill him. He's actually the reason I had my men capture you and bring you here. He wants to meet you." Chase explained and grinned when my brows dipped. Archer Cutler wanted to meet me? I had so many questions, but I didn't want to seem interested, so I just shrugged and looked indifferent. That irritated Chase, but he didn't say anything. He gestured to the men behind him.

"Yes, sir?" One of them asked, walking toward Chase.

"Cut the ties off her legs so that she can be a little more comfortable," he informed them, which surprised me. The guard cut the ties from my legs, and I sighed as the pressure was relieved from being pressed up against the legs of the chair. 

"Thanks," I muttered under my breath, and that put a smile on Chase's face.

"You're welcome, Scarlett. Now, are you ready to meet Archer Cutler?" he asked me, that grin still on his face. Why was he smiling so much?

"Sure," I answered in a bored tone. If Chase heard my tone, he didn't react to it and instead turned around, his back now facing me. The other men in the room turned as well, facing the door, and waited. Nothing was happening for the first minute. Was this Archer guy trying to make a grand entrance or something? While they were all turned, I tried to find a way to get out of these zip ties. Now that my legs were free, I could try to break the chair somehow, but my wrists would still be tied together, rendering me useless. I had to find some way to get out of these. Maybe get one of the guards to come my way and somehow take their knife out? I don't know. Nothing in my head was making sense at the moment. I was still trying to understand how Chase was actually evil.

Finally, there was some movement at the door. I heard shuffling on the other side, and the doorknob turned. My heartbeat sped up from me being anxious as I prepared myself for the man behind the door. The door opened, and all the men in the room stood up straighter, arms rigid at their sides, heads straight ahead at the man at the door.

In the doorway stood a very tall, strapping man with a face that had a permanent frown on it. He had short, cropped black hair with dark brows to match that was scrunched as he looked around the room. His eyes were a piercing gray, and he had a jawline so sharp, it could probably cut through metal. He slowly walked down the short steps, exuding dominance and everyone in the room cowered as he walked by them, except for Chase. He kept his head held high, and a smile was on his face.

Archer Cutler. The man Killian was after, and I was finally face to face with him. He didn't look my way just yet. He only had his eyes on Chase.

"Welcome, boss. I brought the girl here as you requested. Do with her as you please." Chase gave him permission, though I was sure he probably didn't need it. Archer grunted and finally looked my way, tilting his head. His eyes were narrowed, and I held my breath, not knowing what would happen next. What was he going to do with me? If he wanted answers, he wouldn't kill me, right? He walked my way until he was standing directly in front of me and crouched to get on my level. His eyes roamed my face, his own void of any emotion, and reached his hand up to my face. I flinched before I could stop myself, not knowing what he was going to do. The corner of his mouth twitched at my reaction, and his finger touched my cheek. His finger was warm, and he began to trace my skin, my jaw, until his whole hand gripped my face.

"Where is Killian?" he asked me, voice so deep and scratchy it sounded like sandpaper. He had an accent that sounded British, maybe more Australian. His teeth were surprisingly pearly white and straight, and his minty breath fanned my face. I shrugged, and gasps filled the air. Archer raised a brow. His rough hand tightened on my jaw, making me wince as pain shot up my face. "Let me ask again since it seems you didn't hear me the first time. Where is Killian?" he asked me again, his grip so tight it seemed like he was going to snap my bones. I yanked my face out of his grip successfully, glaring at him. I moved my jaw to relieve the pressure.

"Fuck you." I spit out, my response making Chase widen his eyes.

"Uh, sir, if you can just give her a little ti-"

Archer held up his hand, silencing Chase. "Guards, show her what happens to people with smart mouths around here. Get an answer out of her. Do whatever it takes." He gave orders to the men in the room, and they all nodded. He pointed to three of them and Chase, and they all followed him out of the room, leaving me with just two men who both had signature frowns on their faces. My heart started beating quicker as I prepared myself for what was to come. They could do whatever they wanted to me, but I wasn't going to speak. The men prepped the table with all kinds of instruments and tools, and when they were done, they faced me. One of the men gestured to me, and the other nodded, taking a few steps forward until he was standing in front of me.

"Where is Killian, woman?" he asked, an accent I couldn't place on his tongue. I kept my mouth shut, glaring at him. Do your best, I thought as I braced myself for blows. He growled in my face when I didn't respond and swung at me. My head snapped to the side, pain spreading through my cheek, and I coughed out a gasp as my vision blurred for a second. The headache that I woke up with came back, and I breathed deeply to help stable myself. I sat up straight, my glare even more fierce. I could taste blood in my mouth that was caused by the blow, and adrenaline began to pump through my veins.

I wanted to kill this man. He leaned down in my face and sneered at me.

"Tell me where he is, or you'll get another one."

"The first one didn't even hurt. You hit like a bitch." I sneered back, and he immediately curled his hand and slammed his fist on my other cheek, making my head snap to the other side. I wheezed and spat out blood, blinking quickly to gain back my vision. That blow was harder, thanks to my smart mouth, and I wanted to give them the information they wanted. Everything in me told me to go that route, the easy route, but my pride overpowered everything else, and I couldn't do it. I couldn't betray my partner. I would have to embrace the pain and try my best to stay conscious.

The guard grabbed a fistful of my hair, his fingers digging into my scalp, and yanked my head backward, his face close to mine. This position made it harder to breathe, but I didn't struggle. I wouldn't show either of them that I was weak because I wasn't.

"I don't have time for your games. Our boss wants an answer now, so you will give me an answer, even if we have to chop off your fingers one by one." His breath was putrid, and I wanted to gag, but I held back.

"Chop them off then. You'll have to kill me because I won't ever give away his location." I growled, mainly because of the pain but also from anger. He yelled and tossed my head to the side, muttering under his breath.

"My turn." The other guard, who was significantly bigger than the one that was just speaking to me, walked my way, cracking his knuckles. He didn't speak, and as soon as he was close to me, he swung his fist, and it collided with my chin, snapping my head backward. Pain exploded in my jaw, and I couldn't breathe. I was off-balance, and my chair was titled back from the force, rocking on its legs. The guard slammed his foot down on my thigh to bring the chair back down, making me yelp as pain spread through the muscle. I didn't have time to brace myself for the next blow because the guard immediately punched me in the stomach, making me heave over, gagging. Saliva and blood left my mouth, slowly slipping past my lips as I stayed hunched over, the liquids falling into my lap, staining my gray pants.

I inhaled hoarsely, trying to get air back in my lungs, but it was hard. So hard to breathe. So hard to think. My vision was blurring more than before, and the throbbing in my head wouldn't stop. I didn't want to die here. I didn't want my fingers to get chopped off.

I didn't want to die here.

I didn't want to die here.